Greetings Rifkinn,
I have received and reviewed your letter. As a proud member of the Order of the Dragon Shield I wish to clarify a few things as I feel your research was inadequate.

The ODS under its current leadership is vastly different than the ODS that you may have researched in the scrolls. Like any of the Orders found in Elanthia, it has seen its fair share of good and bad leadership through the years. Speaker Mystylaine and Vice-Speaker Alymast are a refreshing and invigorating leadership composition. Together, they have fostered a community of support, purpose, and brotherhood within the ODS.

The council that is comprised of many senior ODS members as well as recent members that choose to join the ODS under the new leadership have all been exemplary of the kind of community that the Speaker and Vice Speaker have so elegantly articulated in their words, but also their actions.

In this type of community there is no room for narcissism and egomaniacs. This is a community that undoubtedly would stand beside me should an immortal, demon, or other choose to wage war on the land we call home. There are countless individuals that call the ODS their home, their order and the have all pledged their time, gifts, and talents to the betterment of the order and the community in which we humbly serve.

The list of individuals that you called out by name in your letter are admirable men that have taken the same pledge as I and have committed to uphold the vision and the purpose of the ODS. If they chose to dispatch you, then it was with good cause and you should expect the same actions from myself should you have the misfortune of crossing my path.

As you may have gleaned from this letter, your behaviors and poor self-awareness don’t exactly speak to a humble servant leader, a noble and just individual, one that willingly chooses to aid a brother or sister selflessly. Instead, it would seem that your behaviors and abilities might be best served elsewhere.

If you do not agree with me, that is your choice and frankly that isn’t of any concern to me. If for a moment you could picture yourself going to war, can you make the same claims that I have made? Can you accept that the research that you’ve done might be inaccurate? Do you wish to align yourself with an Order that fosters community, support, purpose, and brotherhood? If so, I would expect that the next letter that you pen will be that of an apology and that you would choose to dispatch your ego and your personal agenda and embrace the warmth of community that ODS offers.

Respectfully,

Dreaderic au’Arcos

Member, Order of the Dragon Shield

Directed to whom I know as Dreaderic Arkarm.

Thank you for your response, whether you agree with me or not, like or hate me, I am always grateful when someone takes the time to respond to me.

I will try to put aside my usual flippant self serving banter and be as direct as you have been in your reply.

All of this between myself and members of your order stems from two main points that I and Miss Talmuron pointed out. First, your Order’s acceptance of a Necrolord, and secondly, and personally for me, the treatment that Miss Talmuron was given when she voiced her concerns.

I was pleased with your Orders reaction when they, in my opinion, realised that they may have erred by accepting and greeting the Necrolord Totenus at a Town Hall meeting. And also allowing the filth to express his opinion that he should be paid for his involvement with helping during an invasion. Therengia’s Court Historian was asked to deliver a speech to express Therengia’s opinion regarding Necromancy, and it was delivered. I showed my appreciation of this, in my own way. After this fact, for me, all was finished between myself and your order.

Regarding the treatment of Miss Talmuron..

Marssi has never once denied her past. She lives with it to this day. And most of all she has paid her debt. Furthermore, knowing her as I do, her own guilt will never fully fade with allowing herself to drift from the path of the righteous by joining a family that did some of the most unspeakable acts, not only to His Grace Barron Gyfford and Therengia, but to all provinces across Kermoria. But you would know of this full well, as you yourself were part of this family, not only carrying out some of these acts, but at times you leading them!

Miss Talmuron was, as you and the Arkarm family were, banned from Therengia. And as her eyes opened to what and where her life was leading, she made the decision to leave that family, and stand up and own what she did. She approached His Grace and respectfully asked if there was any hope of a pardon. In His Grace’s forgiveness, he placed Marssi on a probation period, that equated to years. Marssi did not just sit by and idly wait out her time. She spent her time doing what she could for Therengia, healing the injured in times of invasions, defending the Barron against anyone who spoke ill of him, and sending gifts to His Grace and betrothed - most notably a basket full of wonderful things beginning with the letter “M”. Something that Barron Gyfford enjoyed and finally led to him seeing that she had fully repented for her involvement in the actions against Therengia and her support of Necromancy.

But all of the above was not good enough for some in your Order, she was shouted down and viewed still as a troublemaker and some kind of terrorist of Theren.

All this when her actions were from being involved and supportive of a family and members like yourself and Erixx who carried out, as I said, things comparative to the most corrupt; that is Necromancy itself.

You in your letter have spoken of your own honor and that of others I mentioned. Mainly Erixx and Nefarious (by the way, speaking of Nefarious, where has he been? I haven't heard from him since his strange outburst on the Gwethdesuan)

Have either you Erixx or Nefarious paid a debt to the likes of Miss Talmuron? Have any of you been formally pardoned? And most importantly have any of you publicly apologised or owned your past behaviors as Marssi has? Does your own Order hold you accountable today as they do Miss Talmuron?

As for Rekon, well just after he assassinated Miss Talmuron, an empath who did not speak a single bad word, she put the question to him, “Why did you kill me?” His response was, “For fun mainly”. His words, not mine. Is this the man of honor you speak of? Is this not a character trait of a narcissist? I could go on to explain the racist and clearly aggressively provocative drawing he handed me, but… I think the above example speaks volumes to his character.

You spoke of certain character traits - ego and narcissism. At first I was taken aback at being called such things. But on self reflection, you are correct. These are traits within myself. I’m Olvi. Who wouldn't love such a cute, handsome Halfling as myself?
I am extremely selfish with my loyalty. I hold that very close. Very few will ever see how far that loyalty extends, and one in particular, sadly, is feeling the consequence of breaking that loyalty. I lack empathy to anything, or anyone who is involved with, or supports Necromancy. I have a sense of self entitlement to be one who will dispatch anyone who speaks out against the Gods. Something that I feel is bestowed upon me from the Immortals in my devotion to see that they are exalted with each breath. Also I have a need for admiration from those I hold in high regard, one being Miss Tulmuron, who corrects me, advises me and is a voice of sensibility that sometimes I lack through my impulsive reactions.

Since we've put our differences away once before, I'd like to move on again. We may not see eye to eye, but as long as your order remembers that necromancers are never to be counted on as allies, and that you also hold each other accountable in the same way that hold others accountable for their actions, I will have no fight with you.

As always
Nothing but love.

Rifkinn Shomm

Scribed below the signature is a smiley face